Watford have made the hiring of Roy Hodgson official as the new manager following the dismissal of Claudio Ranieri on Monday. Hodgson, 74, returns to the Premier League after leaving Crystal Palace at the end of last season. The English coach, the longest to coach in the Premier League, will be Watford’s 16th since 2012.
Watford’s first game with Hodgson on the bench will be on February 5 against Burnley. The Londoners are penultimate in the standings with fourteen points, two more than the bottom team, Burnley, and four from salvation.
Watford have not won any of their last nine games, losing eight and drawing one. The last disappointment was suffered last weekend against Norwich City at home, with a 0-3 defeat.
The ‘Hornets’ will be Hodgson’s seventh team in England, after Bristol City, Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion, Fulham and Palace. In addition, among many other teams throughout his career, Hodgson has managed the English national team, the Swiss national team and Inter Milan.
Hodgson is Watford’s third manager this season after Xisco Muñoz, who was sacked despite having the team out of relegation in October, and Ranieri himself.